subscribesubscriber servicescontact usabout ussite mapBuy a Classified
Sun, Nov 08 2009 

Published: February 16, 2009 03:30 pm    print this story  

STUMPTALK: Beam me up, Scotty. No one here listens

By Phillip J. Chesser / Chronicle contributor

“Communication is a two way process,” says the cliché. Communication will not occur unless the message sent is also received and it must be received accurately, as the sender intends. Unfortunately, many times receivers do not hear what senders intend, especially when the messages involve politics. Because it is full of loaded words like freedom, liberty, liberal, conservative, right winger, left winger, socialist, capitalist, statist, collectivist, racist, sexist, homophobe and so forth, political discourse often fails to meet the basic requirements of communication.   

Some loaded words that are often barriers to communication:

Freedom – “And ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free” (Jesus the Christ, John 8:32). The freedom of Christ is freedom from slavery to sin. It has nothing to do with personal, political or economic freedom. “Freedom is not the permission to do what you like but the power to do what you ought” (Lord Acton). “Freedom’s just another word for nothing left to lose” (from “Me and Bobby McGee” written by Kris Kristofferson, performed most famously by Janis Joplin). In most contexts I hear the word freedom used in personal, economic, or political senses, each of which is subjective, emotional, and often irrational. Writers and speakers rarely define their terms.

Liberal – Depending upon where one is on the political spectrum a good or bad word. To themselves liberals are generous, loving, compassionate, and open-minded. To others liberals are generous with other people’s money, loving of the perverse, compassionate toward criminals but not victims, and impervious to ideas other than their own.

Conservative – To liberals conservatives are a bunch of mean-spirited, hate filled racists, sexists, and homophobes who want to kill everyone but pre born children. Conservatives disagree, of course. As one wag opined, “People are liberal or conservative until their oxen are gored.”

Right winger, Left winger – the terms left and right originated in the French National Assembly and were applied to parties in accordance with where they sat in relation to the Speaker. Jacobins or radicals sat to his left, conservatives in the center, and reactionaries to his right. Jacobins wanted rapid radical change, conservatives defended the status quo, and reactionaries hoped to return to the good old days. 

And there are many others, enough to fill many pages. Some writers use the phrase right wing as a debate clincher as if nothing else need be said. Some use the words racist, sexist, and homophobic against conservatives in order to cut off debate.

Truth is, many opinion contributors write either to preach to the converted or to annoy those with whom they disagree. Some write to straighten others out with their versions of the facts, or as Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan once said, “Everyone is entitled to his own opinion but not his own facts.” Then there are those who write to show readers how smart they are.

Daniel J. Boorstin wrote, “The greatest barrier to progress is not ignorance but the illusion of knowledge,” or more colorfully, as said by Mark Twain, “It’s not what you don’t know that that gets you in trouble; it’s what you know for sure that just ain’t so.”

Political rhetoric either spoken or written often contains lots of heat but not much light. Nevertheless, it’s fun and serves a useful public purpose, and careful readers sometimes learn things they don’t know. 

 

print this story  



autoconx
Premier Guide
Find a business

Walking Fingers
Maps, Menus, Store hours, Coupons, and more...
Premier Guide
Premier Guide
Premium Jobs

Auto Body Technician
Auto Body Tech School or experience required. Contact Mike Dagle at Dave Kirk Automotive. 2955 Hwy. 127 North, 484-5151....>MORE

Hospice of Cumberland County
Accepting applications for Registered Nurses and Certified Nursing Assistants. Primary duties will be providing care in ...>MORE

HELP WANTED
A fast-expanding finance corporation has an immediate opening for branch manager in the Crossville, Tennessee area. Cand...>MORE

See all ads

Premium Autos

This space is available to YOU!!!
Call 484-5145, ask for an advertising representative to place your ad in this section....>MORE

See all ads

Premium Real Estate

HJF Company - Homes for rent
AVAILABLE - Several select homes. Great locations. FFG, city, school. From 2/2 to 3/2. CH/A, applicances, decks. Fencing...>MORE

Commercial Spaces For Rent
Contact Classic Realty at 484-2600, 998 Lantana Rd....>MORE

Beverly Hills Apartments
1 & 2 bedrooms available for elderly or disabled. Applications available at office TDD# 711, Office: 931-456-5311. This ...>MORE

Highland Gardens
By Hospital 1 & 2 br, 1.5 ba. ONE MONTH FREE RENT! Walk in closet, Open floor plan, Water & Trash PAID, Laundry & Pool o...>MORE

Best Value Storage Units
Near Food City off West Avenue behind Crossville Commons complex. Lowest prices in town -- guaranteed! Gated and securit...>MORE

Jacob's Crossing Apartments
Up To 2 Months Free, Limited Time Offer!! 2 and 3 Bedrooms available, Newly Remodeled, Kid Friendly Playground and Pool,...>MORE

Lakeview Apartments
Sparta Hwy. 2 br / 1 ba, ONE MONTH FREE RENT! Walk in closet, W/D hookups & Corner Gas Fireplace, Water & Trash PAID. Re...>MORE

Commercial Suites
High traffic area, West Ave. / Near Food City. ONE MONTH FREE! Approx. 1,000 sq. ft. your business name in full color on...>MORE

Yvonne Ave. Apartments
Beautiful 1 bedroom units that have been completely remodeled, close to everything. $450 per month / $300 deposit. Call ...>MORE

Birchwood Luxury Apts.
Spacious Apt Homes, 2 and 3 br's. ONE MONTH FREE RENT! Water and Trash PAID! W/D hookup's, Pool, Near Food City / West A...>MORE

See all ads

Premium Other

KTR Cleaners
Residential, Rentals, Move-in / out, New Construction Homes. 931-200-7337....>MORE

THIS ADVERTISING SPACE WORKS!
Pick up your phone and call 484-5145 ask for any advertising representative. Place your ad here, it will work for you 24...>MORE

See all ads


 

Community Newspaper Holdings, Inc.CNHI Classified Advertising NetworkCNHI News Service
Associated Press content © 2009. All rights reserved. AP content may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Our site is powered by Zope and our Internet Yellow Pages site is powered by PremierGuide.
Some parts of our site may require you to download the Flash Player Plugin.
View our Privacy Policy
Advertiser index